In the past few years, there has been a lot of talk around a phenomenon called sleep paralysis. While almost all of us have at some point in time come across someone who has said they faced this or have faced it ourselves, awareness regarding sleep paralysis is almost inexistent. So much so that several go on to dismiss the active issue as a figment of the sufferer’s imagination or just an extension of their dreams. Well, to put your doubts to rest none of this is remotely close to reality.
Sleep paralysis occurs when one’s mind wakes up while the body is still asleep. Now, allow me to give you a more graphical description of what this exactly entails. The person affected by sleep paralysis is usually anywhere between deep and semi-deep slumber when it hits. Their limbs remain paralysed while they are conscious thanks to their brain which decides to wake up, meaning one is unable to move and sometimes even open their eyes even though technically awake.
Repeated bouts of sleep paralysis can cause insomnia because no matter how fond you might be of sleeping, getting paralyzed while at it is not a very pretty scenario. 22-year old artist-photographer Nicolas Bruno intends to bring to light this exact helplessness via his photo series on sleep paralysis. Having gone through it himself for several years, his photo series brings out in spine-chilling detail what the phenomenon entails.
While some think it’s the work of devils who possess those sleeping thus leading to sleep paralysis, the more scientific ones only know what causes it but not how to fix it. This powerful photo series might be exactly what you need to ensure you never ever again dismiss this as a figment of the sufferer’s imagination.
Sleep paralysis disturbs REM (rapid eye movement) sleep and could cause those facing it to feel short of breath and at times close to death. Not something to be taken lightly, one bout of sleep paralysis could leave the sufferer feeling weak and disconcerted throughout the day. Lack of our awareness regarding such health issues affecting both mental and physical health leads to several misconceptions about them. Here’s hoping this photographer’s work inspired by his own experiences will help change how you perceive sleep paralysis.
